title: The failed restoration: causes of failure and how to prevent them.
abstract: Ceramic restorations lack tensile strength and suffer from static fatigue. The margins of safety required to prevent fracture are much greater than for metal. Composite restorations, even laboratory cured, have yet to be fully tested over long periods. The hydrolytic stability of these materials still requires improvement. Glass-ionomer cements lack fracture toughness and will not accept a high polish due to their porous surfaces. Failure in restorations can only be avoided by recognizing the deficiencies in physical properties of all our restorative materials and using them in areas where the hostile oral environment causes minimal damage. The cast-gold restoration will probably remain supreme for crown and inlay work. The unique properties of the metallic bond are ideally suited to withstand maximum occlusal stress under most clinical conditions.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: McLean
mesh_terms: D003442:Crowns; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D011475:Prosthesis Failure
chemical_list: D003764:Dental Materials